Sikkim Trip - Please Help

justaneed

HI IMians,
I am from kerala. Me and my four friends would be visiting sikkim this december..

we would be reaching NJP station on 24th of december.
There are people very experienced in sikkim trips here...We need your help..plzzz..cus we are totally ignorant about the weather conditions, roads, best places to visit during december and the like at sikkim

1.Please give your opinions about the following itinerary.

Dec 24th reach NJP in the morning and proceed to gangtok in share taxi - Arrange for a trip to Yumthang after a bargain with local taxi drivers ( we are very budget conscious. how much would this cost?). - Also arrange a trip to nathula - tsongo for dec 27th.

Dec 25th proceed to Lachung. ( hope there are nice things to see on the way)

Dec 26th visit Yumthang , ( is it possible to visit zero point and hot springs.. are they worth?) then proceed to gangtok. stay overnight

Dec 27th Nathula tsongo trip

Dec 28th visit Rumtek monastery and proceed to Pelling ( or is darjeeling a better option)

Dec 29th by 3 PM reach NJP station.

IMians please comment on this... cus we have to start on 20th december from kerala to make this all possible.. only two weeks left... juz 11 days to be exact..

and also please help me get an idea about rough expenses on each day. ( please specify whether the rates are per person or for five of us together)

backpakker

Hi

I didnt go to North Sikkim, so wouldnt want to guess anything, except that pls check the weather and if the roads are ok..and not blocked by snow .

I would suggest that you do Pelling, gangtok, nathulla and tsango and then proceed to north sikkim

Pelling is definitely a better place ..you must see it .

You can check my post on sikkim in my blog

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justaneed

2. do you think its a jam packed itinerary.. we dont mind travelling a lot.. but would love to spend a lot of time at every location rather than rushing between places to cover tourist spots.. so please please shed some light on the cream of the cream places that we should visit ... we would love to see snow too...if north sikkim roads are closed,and we dont get permission to visit nathula, is it still possible to find snow somewhere? plus what do you ppl think about the himalayan zoo, (for watching the snow leapord and red panda).. would it take very long?

3. do you people think gurudongmar is a better option for us (than Yumthang).. - what about the weather there.. would it be unbearably cold? i heard gurudongmar is much higher when compared to Yumthang...



IM ians please give your valuable opinions.. as i said before just 11 days are left for us..

backpakker

You will see snow in Nathulla and in North sikkim . You need a permit to go to Nathulla which you can get from Gangtok..

If you cant go to Yumthang , then Gurudongmar is difficult as well, cos the roads may be blocked..you can check this in Gangtok

Spend a day in Pelling and a couple if you want in Gangtok - morning you can go to Nathulla and Tsango . The next day if you want , you can go to Rumtek and the zoo ..

Then proceed to North sikkim ..

justaneed

i checked your blog.. you really have gone some places!! rocking pics.. just curious- when do you work ...

thanks for the opinion.. though would you please clarify , why pelling at the beginning of the trip?

another doubt.. it seems they dont take people to nathula on fridays.. so if pelling is placed in the beginning will we be able to make nathula trip on 27th itself ( its a thursday)..

justaneed

is it possible to go to rumtek monastery on 28th (friday) and then proceed to pelling, reach there by evening?

if so would we be able to go to just one view point at Pelling and reach NJP on the same day evening ( Dec 29th). our train to calcutta is in the evening.

backpakker

Pelling can be accessed from NJP or from Gangtok ..You can finish Gangtok, Nathulla and Rumtek and proceed to Pelling as well, but you need the route to go to North Sikkim from there . Let me try and find that for you

Yes, you can go to Nathulla on certain days only , that didnt strike me .

Thanks for visiting my blog..I do find time to work

You will need at least a day in Pelling and from Gangtok. it will take about 4-5 hours ..avoid travelling late nights in case of bad weather

justaneed

1. we only have time for one.. so which one should we visit..Yumthang or gurudongmar ( starting date 25th morning. We plan to reach Gangtok back on 26th evening/night)

2. How much it would cost for a round trip to Yumthang from Gangtok.. we are five persons..

3. Apart from North sikkim and Nathula is there a place near gangtok, where we could find some snow..?

4 Has anyone visited the Himalayan zoo? ( for the snow leapord and red panda? are these animals still there?)

backpakker

Please check if Yumthang and Gurudogmar are accessible..if they are, must go to the latter

Snow can be seen in North Sikkim and nathulla as far as I know .
If you are lucky Tsango can be frozen as well

I went to the Himalayan zoo and saw the snow leopard, red panda and its really nice to walk around there




I have

robin312007

HI
JUST

its ok.
its simply off season now. you will get discount on travelling and accomodation. (around 30% i think)
I can give you a rough estimate of our trip in 2005 oct.(peak season). We covered Gangtok / NOrth Sikkim / Pelling in 7 days and it was around 5.5 per head.
For North sikkim (Lachung / yumthang) : 900/- perhead (1 night 2days) peak season.